


Deeper & Deeper

by Kalee60



Series: Kalees Stucky QuikFics [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Light Pining, M/M, Meddling Friends, Misunderstandings, Not Canon Compliant, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Prompt Fic, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:55:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23254312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalee60/pseuds/Kalee60
Summary: What happens when a silly prank App forces Steve to admit something to Bucky, something he'd not even managed to fully admit to himself yet?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Kalees Stucky QuikFics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1661545
Comments: 23
Kudos: 184





	Deeper & Deeper

**Author's Note:**

> Hey All,
> 
> Here is another rather silly (squint to ignore the ridiculousness of it) prompt fill for my Quikfics Stucky series. [ darter_blue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darter_blue/pseuds/darter_blue) found a prompt generator and we have both fallen down a massive hole of fic ideas and are finding it hard to escape.
> 
> But what I adore the most is how one small prompt can be interpreted a million different ways.
> 
> Also, I was fairly liberal on what pranks were, I kind of mixed it up with dares...
> 
> This one is based on the below prompt:
> 
> Steve: I love you  
> Bucky: Pathetic

Steve and Bucky had been in a low-key prank war for about eight months now, and it was probably the best and worst thing that could have happened to Steve. Their friend Tony had found a prank generator app and to the amusement and egging-on of everyone in their friend group, Bucky and Steve downloaded and started to use it. Each prank was completely randomised, nothing too grand or too small for them to try, and they created a rule to allow interpretation of the challenges in whichever way they wanted, as some were too ludicrous for contemplation. There was no way Steve was going to text his mother he’d just purchased drugs, and follow up with a ‘not for you text’, just to see her response. Natasha received it instead, and the results were probably worse. At least his mother wouldn’t have stalked him for months to make sure he was clean.

They’d done everything from the traditional pranks on plastic wrapping toilet bowls, to the more intricate of changing every picture that Bucky appeared in on the photo board in his room with images of Jason Bateman (which they ended up leaving in place as they all got a crush on Jason). Both Steve and Bucky relished in trying to outdo the other, as they were both  _ very _ competitive.

They didn’t start out as best buds by any means, having only known each other from living on the same floor on campus for two years and from hanging out in the same large group of friends. But the prank war had catapulted them from acquaintances to close friends. Steve knew it wasn’t unusual for people to see them in the library studying together, heads bent over books as they laughed and shared information and text books, then grabbing food or a movie. They’d been accused of dating so many times now, and each time Bucky laughed quietly while Steve ducked his head, ears turning pink. Because that was the thing, wasn’t it? Steve had gone and caught feelings for his friend. A friend who’d caught nothing for Steve, except a cold the month before.

Sighing into the crisp winter chill, Steve watched his warm breath puff out and headed towards the campus coffee shop. He needed some alone time and a hazelnut latte, while the latest prank on his phone burnt a hole in his pocket.

He found a booth in the back of the shop, hidden from the door and settled it, breaking a piece of his white chocolate macadamia nut cookie to dunk it into the sweetness of his caffeine and looked at the prank again.

_ ‘Tell twenty people that you love them with as much sincerity as possible. Then watch as they all discover each other.’ _

Steve ran a hand over his face,  _ what the hell _ ? The prank generator had never gone as far as potentially hurting people’s feelings, or being unkind before. And Steve knew that this could totally backfire. Telling random (or not so random) people that he loved them, really, _ really _ , loved them was a low blow - especially if he picked someone with bad self-esteem (like himself). Steve was known on campus as being one of the most honest and trustworthy of people, saying this would send out all kinds of mixed messages.

He couldn’t do it. 

Steve also ignored the clambering bells in the back of his head which were going off at the thought of uttering those words to Bucky.  _ Oh god _ , he’d actually mean them. And wasn’t that the kicker?

But he knew that somehow he’d have to complete the prank, he couldn’t lie and make one up as the app had an inbuilt scoring system. Once you’d completed the challenge, the tally of points and the actual prank became public knowledge. He’d be outed and lose their war. But was winning worth it? He pictured Bucky’s wide smile, the joy he got out of pranking Steve and knew in a weird self deluded way it was. He’d do anything to make Buck smile.

“What’s got your panties in a twist, Jolly Good Rogering?”

Steve screwed his face up in annoyance, watching as Tony and Natasha slid into the booth before him, hot drinks steaming and unaware of the turmoil in Steve’s gut.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Why? It’s almost Christmas, makes sense.” Tony shrugged and shoved a muffin into his mouth, earning a despairing look from Natasha.

“You okay, Steve?” Natasha asked, eyebrow quirked, before shifting away from the crumbs flying out of Tony’s mouth. Why they were friends with him, Steve didn’t know, even though usually he semi-enjoyed Tony’s overt company. Although the tech genius could sometimes be downright frustrating, today was one of those days.

“Just my prank, s’all,” he replied sullenly.

“You have to do it,” Tony said quickly with a long unwavering look. Steve saw Natasha elbow him sharply. “What? It’s the rules.”

“Maybe, I don’t know - seems a little, unethical, or maybe not unethical but I’m not really comfortable with it.”

Natasha leant across the table and grabbed his hand, “you know you can change it, interpret it in your way. Unless you want Bucky to win, and I have money on you - you’re too stubborn to lose. Don’t let me down.”

Steve couldn’t help but chuckle, “yeah, I’ll figure it out.”

He couldn’t say it to twenty people, it was wrong to do so. He’d just tell Bucky. 

It suddenly didn’t feel like a prank anymore.

  
  


“What’s eating you, Rogers? Prank wars getting you down? You got this weeks’, didn’t you?” Bucky smirked at him and Steve’s insides scrambled at the teasing tone coupled with the bright sparkle in his blue eyes. 

Shuffling his foot in the snow as they stood outside on the library stairs waiting for it to open, Steve’s heart lodged tight in his throat. He was going to say it, no excuses. Bucky didn’t need to know he was serious, it would come out as part of the prank eventually. “Uh, no, I just want to tell you something.”

Everything went quiet, his words conveying the seriousness of the moment and Bucky stopped fidgeting to face him. White noise rushed through Steve’s ears as he said and re-said the fateful words in his mind before uttering them out loud. Bucky was watching him closely, the smirk disappearing slowly as Steve struggled to speak.

“Iloveyou.” He said in a rush.

“Excuse me?”

“Err, I said, I… uh - I love you.”

Bucky’s eyes widened in shock, and Steve dropped his gaze down to his toes, not wanting to see the rejection first hand. He shivered at the lack of response and the chill in the wind, pulling up his collar to help stop the slap of cold on his neck. He heard Bucky breathe out, ‘ _ oh, shit, no… _ ’ before a strangled cough erupted from him. The noise made Steve glance up. It was a prank anyway, a stupid prank, one which left him raw.

What he didn’t expect was Bucky to steel his gaze and say in the most derisive tone, “pathetic.”

Steve choked on air, embarrassment burning through his entire body. But, Bucky didn’t know Steve was  _ actually _ serious, he could totally laugh this off. It would all be fine.

But before he could treat this as the prank it was, he needed to go, get home and recalibrate, push his heart back into its small box and lock it with a key. Before he could move though, Bucky grabbed both of his arms, standing before him; imploring him with a look.

“It’s pathetic, because I can do so much better.”

Steve frowned, heart hammering in his chest, because - what did that mean? Bucky let go of one of his arms to grab a piece of scrunched up paper from his jacket, looking over it, before shaking his head and pushing it back into his pocket.

“Buck, let me go please.” He pleaded, and Bucky shook his head.

Then to his utter surprise Bucky began to quote, slightly off-key, face brightening in red as he went.

_ “I can't help falling in love _

_ I fall deeper and deeper the further I go _

_ Kisses sent from heaven above _

_ They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know _

_ When you know the notes to sing _

_ You can sing most anything _

_ That's what my mama told me _

_ Round and round and round you go _

_ When you find love you'll always know” _

Steve stared, then stared some more, completely confused as the words about love, about Bucky saying them to  _ him, _ reverberated through his brain. Then it clicked, “are you reciting a Madonna song to me?”

Bucky forced out a strained chuckle and nodded, eyes roving over Steve’s face, as if cataloging his expression, seeing his reaction. Steve had no idea what look was on his face, probably confusion, but he also knew he couldn’t mask the longing in his eyes. He was tired and all out of energy to keep hiding. Bucky clearly saw something which pleased him as a small tentative smile started to spread, and Steve couldn’t help mimic it, he was like sunshine. Bucky then nodded to himself and squared his shoulders and grabbed Steve, pulling him forward until their lips met.

Stunned at first, Steve had no idea what was happening until he felt Bucky’s tongue press forward and suddenly he didn’t give a shit about how unorthodox this was, he was all in. 

Grabbing the back of Bucky’s neck, Steve opened his mouth to him. It was electric, it sent him into a tailspin at how perfect Bucky’s mouth felt slotted against his, the little moans coming from Bucky’s throat urging him to pull their bodies closer, deepening the kisses until they were a cold, wet shivering mess on the stairs as people walked past them into the now open library.

It was the clapping and catcalls from their friends that stopped them, made them come up for air.

As Steve pulled away, he couldn’t help whisper against Bucky’s mouth, having to know, “is this for real? Not a prank?”

Bucky nodded, “I know it started out as one, but, I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. You and me Stevie, Madonna says it’s so, so shall it be.”

Steve laughed, happiness bursting out of every pore, and ducked in for another quick kiss, grinning like a loon the whole time.

“About time you clueless bags of testosterone got together.” Tony exclaimed and grabbed them in an uncomfortable threeway hug. “I thought my prank generator was never going to get you idiots to bone.”

It took longer than it should have for Steve to work through Tony’s words.

“You… you’re behind this stupid app?”

“Of course, we all saw the way you looked at each other at the beginning of last year and knew you’d never get the balls up to ask each other out, so here we are - am I not the greatest?”

Bucky pushed Tony away, anger framing his face, Steve thought it was an extremely sexy look on him, though he thought that about all of his expressions.

“What the hell, Tony? How the fuck was, ‘if someone says something to you from the heart, you are to tell them they are pathetic, then outclass them by reciting a sonnet’ a good idea for getting us together? It doesn’t make any fucking sense.  _ Jesus. _ ”

Natasha then punched Tony on the arm, hard. He squirmed and complained about being repressed and bullied. “You idiot, we decided to dare them to tell somebody their true feelings - what the hell?”

“I changed it up, made it more of a challenge. I knew Steve would never tell twenty people he loved them, it’s not his wheelhouse. Therefore my brilliantly executed prank worked - Bucky even added a kiss. It was perfect!”

“You’re an idiot, that’s what you are,” was her reply, then she looked over at them both, a little contritely, “err, so, congrats guys - glad you finally made the move, sort of.”

Steve rubbed a hand over his face, tired and annoyed at his friends no matter how well their intentions were, or how well it worked out in the end. 

The thrill of anticipation and exhilaration which engulfed him when Bucky’s hand tangled in his, banished all thoughts on teaching their friends a lesson on boundaries. Tugging, Bucky motioned them not towards the library which was their original destination, but back towards the dorms. And Steve was so in for a day of lazily exchanging kisses and mapping Bucky’s entire body with his tongue.  _ Oh, yes _ \- he was more than onboard.

“At least give the app a 5 star rating,” Tony called out to them as they walked off together.

Both Steve and Bucky flipped him the bird, before Steve leant over and kissed Bucky quickly, not being able to wait to get him back to his room.

“Oh, what was written on the piece of paper?” Steve asked, and Bucky just grinned back broadly, just as smitten as Steve was.

“Just some lines from this hack called Shakespeare - you deserved better than him.”

In the end, they did give the app 5 stars  _ and _ one hundred reviews. Although, Tony did  _ not _ appreciate the plethora of dick emojis throughout them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading :)
> 
> Can catch me on the below if you're in to that kind of thing!
> 
> Tumblr -[ kalee60](https://kalee60.tumblr.com)  
> Twitter - @kalee60_


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